Thai cave rescue: after relief comes race to beat the monsoon

Water is pumped from the cave. The monsoon season may bring further floodsSAKCHAI LALIT/AP

When the Moo Paa football team sauntered into a cave in northern Thailand ten days ago after practice, they walked through parched winding paths that have since become flowing rivers.

The same tortuous paths and myriad chambers that have enchanted locals and tourists alike were to become a series of hurdles in a life-or-death operation for rescuers as the boys’ families, and the world, waited.

The boys, aged between 11 and 16, had been led into the chamber by their coach to sign their names on the wall in a pre-match tradition. The trip, on Saturday, June 23, was intended to be a short treat and it is believed they did not have supplies.

Thai marine police leave the cave having reached the trapped boys with the help of British diversLinh Pham/Getty Images

The cave is usually closed during the rainy season, which runs…

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